Folding boat



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. U. LOREE;

v I FOLDING BOAT. No. 544,676. Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

(No Model.)

2 t e e h S w e. e h S 2 K EM M G LN M .U .0 M

No. 544,676. Patented Aug. 20,1895.

INVENTOI? NITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

MANFIERD U. LOREE, OF MIAMISBURG, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO EUGENE A.OHMER AND WM. D. HUSTON, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

FOLDING BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,676, dated August20, 1895.

Application filed March 12, 1895.

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, MANFIERD U. LOREE, of Miamisburg, county ofMontgomery, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFolding Boats; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which tachable parts and none of the bolts, thumbscrews,&c., enumerated above.

To this end the invention consists of parts and an arrangement thereofthat will be fully described in the following specification, and set outin the claims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, which form a part of thisapplication, Figure l is a top plan View of my improved folding boat,the canvas flaps at one end beingthrown back. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveView of the same, showing the boat set up ready for use. Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail Viewshowing in side elevation an upper end of one of the crossribs. One ofthe gunwales and part of the canvas appear in section and one of thesecuring-straps is also shown in said view. Fig. 5 is, a detail View ofan end of the boat, the canvas being removed from one side; Fig. 6,longitudinal and end elevations of one of the metallic socket-pieces;Fig. 7, a detached detail side elevation of one of the end ribs; Fig. 8,an enlarged detail front elevation of an upper portion of one of thecross-ribs; Fig. 9, a top plan view of an end of the boat, showing theattachment of the gunwales with their respective ribs; Fig. 10,-a sideelevation of Fig. 9, with one of the gunwales removed; Fig. 11, a detailView showing the means for securing a joint in the gunwales; Fig. 12, adetached Serial No. 541,509. (No model.)

detail longitudinal and end elevations of the locking-bar for thecentral panels of the floor.

In the detailed description similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the several views.

A designates the covering for the frame, having overlapping ends a, andwhich is preferably made of a single piece of canvas or duck, in whichthere are no seams through which a leakage of water might occur or thecanvas become weakened. This canvas is made impervious to water and isprevented from becoming mildewed by the application of a Waterproofing,preferably rubber paint, which renders it both smooth and flexible.

b and b designate side panels, each of which may consist of one or twopieces. 0 and c are center panels, preferably constructed in two pieces.These panels, when placed side by side and secured as hereinafterdescribed, constitute the flooring, as shown in Fig. '1. These panelsare rigidly maintained in said position and prevented from warping underthe influence of moisture and the heat of the sun by the followingdevices:

01 and d designate transverse socket-pieces, which are riveted orotherwise securely attached to the upper side of said panels I) and b. edesignates similar sockets rigidly attached'to the center panels 0 c.WVhen the flooring is in position, the ends of these sockets abut andform acontinuous socket-opening from one side of the flooring to theother, as will be observed in Fig. 1. e, e, and e des ignate similarsockets riveted to the respective ends of the center panels andextending longitu'dinally thereof. The two latter socketsthat is, e ande abut and form a continuous socket. The socket-pieces are preferablyconstructed ofcorrugated or galvanized iron of suitable strength and.are rectangular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 6.

When it is desirable to construct the side panels I) and h each in twopieces, the socketsd and d may be divided longitudinally and one-halfthereof be attached. to each of the abutting ends of said panels, as isshown in Fig. 1. d designates the dividing-line of said sockets. Theattachment of the socketpieces to the flooring, or rather to the panels,as described, is designed to be permanent. Therefore the possibility ofthese parts becoming lost or displaced is avoided.

The gunwales are constructed in four sections,f andf, which are joinedcentrally on each side bymetal ferrules f", as shown in Fig. 11. On thejoint ends of two sections of said gunwales there is a projection or lugf to regulate the position of the ferrules when they are placed on thejoining ends. The ferrules are placed on said ends before the gunwalesare put under tension, after which the pressure will prevent theferrules from moving out of a serviceable position.

The canvas covering is securely and permanently attached to the gunwalesin any suitable manner,and when these parts are separated from theremaining parts of the boat the canvas covering may be folded uponitself at the center by displacing the ferrules f.

g and g designate a series of ribs, rectangular in cross-section andreinforced by metallic braces 71. Upon one end of each of these ribsthere is rigidly secured a metallic loop having an opening '6. The otherend of each of said ribs is inserted in its respective sockets d, (1',and e and over the longitudinally-abutting edges of the panels, as shownat the dotted lines 7} in Fig. 3.

j designates a locking-bar which is adapted to enter the sockets e" ande to interlock the abutting ends of the panels 0 and o.

The stem and stern ribs are similar in construction to the cross-ribs,and when in serted in their respective sockets e the frame is ready toreceive the canvas covering.

-It takes but a few moments to put the frame together. All that isnecessary is to lay the flooring out in its proper position, whichbrings the sockets on a line with each other. The ribs are then insertedtherein, and the parts become a rigid skeleton frame that may be handledwithout danger of the parts becoming detached. The frame is made secureto the canvas covering, or rather to the gunwales, by means of straps m,constructed of leather or other flexible material and passed through theopening 2' in the loop and around the gunwales between said gunwales andthe canvas, as shown in Fig. 4E. The straps have a buckle m at one endto which theyare secured after the ribs and gunwales have beensufficiently tightened. At the stem and stern the gunwales are connectedby a strap 01., over and around which is placed a strap in, and thus arethe ends of the gunwales securely attached to the end ribs, similar tothe attachment with the side ribs.

0 designates a series of detachable wooden stays lying lengthwise of theboat and secured between the side ribs g and g and the canvas. Thesestays are inserted between the canvas and the ribs at a pointimmediately below the gunwales and are then pressed down to about theposition shown in Fig. 3. They serve to stretch the canvas and are keptin position by pressure.

I desire to call special attention to the advantages of the metallicsocket-pieces and the means for securing the ribs to the gunwales, as bythe use of these features I am enabled to dispense with the use of manylittle fix tures that serve to annoy one in handling this class ofboats. These socket-pieces are comparatively light in weight and are themost substantial means in connection with the ribs for joining thepanels of the floor, and they have the further advantage of beingdurable to the utmost extent. The bracing of the feet against them whenrowing, or standing upon them, will not injure their usefulness.

The ends a of the canvas when laced provide a shady place in the ends ofthe boat for bait, water, lunch, &c.

Constructed in accordance with the foregoing specification a ten-footboat may not exceed fifty pounds in weight, and when folded fortransportation the parts may be reduced to a package not larger than sixfeet in length and seven inches in width.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a folding boat, the combination with the canvascovering, and the gunwales, of a flooring composed of a plurality ofpanels, a plurality of detachable ribs extending across the upper sidesof said panels over the abutting edges thereof, loops on the upper endsof said ribs, straps inclosed in said loops and adapted to bring thegunwales and ribs in rigid contact, a plurality of detachable stays (0)between the canvas and the ribs, substantially as described.

2. In a canvas boat, the combination with the covering, of a flooringconsisting of a plurality of panels, metallic socket pieces attachedtransversely and longitudinally thereon, said socket pieces being squarein cross section, a plurality of ribs adapted to be inserted in saidsockets and to project beyond the abutting edges of the panels, andstraps for attaching the gunwales to said ribs, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with the canvas covering, and the gunwales to whichsaid covering is permanently attached, of a flooring consisting of aseries of panels, a series of panels transverse socket pieces rigidlyattached to said panels, a series of curved ribs adapted to be insertedin said sockets and extending toward the center of the floor beyond theabutting edges of the panels, socket pieces (6) and (a on the inner endsof the center panels, a bar (j to interlock said ends, socket pieces onthe outer ends of said center panels, stern and stem ribs (7c) adaptedto penetrate said sockets, and straps for securing the ribs andgunwales, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of March,1895.

MANFIERD U. LOREE.

Witnesses:

R. J. MoOARTY, L. L. ALLEN.

